My wife and I hiked on Howard Hill on Friday. The land was opened to the public, and trails developed, just a few years ago. It’s well known locally as the backdrop to many paintings and photos of the Maine Statehouse, which is east of the foot of the hill. The trails are easy to follow and are well maintained. Their surface varies, but some are on old unpaved roads developed decades ago. The trails are all blazed light blue, many intersections offer maps, and there are some wooden directional signs.
The summit is unmarked, but it is approximately at the site of the bench in my picture set. There are no views from there, but there are two superb views of the Statehouse and downtown on the eastern side of the property. They are labeled as Vista and Capitol Overlook (the latter is the more northerly one.) Most of the property is wooded and shady. Predominant species include beeches, hemlocks, birches and maples.
We entered and left from the north entrance at the south end of Ganneston Drive. But the preserve also can be accessed from the west (Parkwood Drive), south (from a Hallowell preserve) and the east (west end of Blaisdell Street.)